Director finds new facets to 'Anna Karenina' as musical of Tolstoy classic readies its third Seoul run
Published: 13 Feb. 2026, 12:42
Updated: 13 Feb. 2026, 13:04
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- LEE JIAN
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Musical ″Anna Karenina″ (2016) director Alina Chevik [MAST INTERNATIONAL]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/13/85e0b4ab-1971-46af-ad1b-63a6a61da3af.jpg)
Musical ″Anna Karenina″ (2016) director Alina Chevik [MAST INTERNATIONAL]
Musical “Anna Karenina," based on Tolstoy’s 1878 classic, is about much more than 19th-century Russian romance and adultery, according to its director Alina Chevik.
“I think there are still aspects of society around the world where men are more easily forgiven than women,” the Russian director said during a roundtable interview Thursday at the Somerset Palace Seoul Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul. “Anna makes mistakes, but these happen as she fights against everything in pursuit of happiness and love. Especially in this age of social media, I believe this tendency to frame and cancel others is something worth discussing and reflecting on — and that’s what the musical ‘Anna Karenina’ aims to explore.”
“Anna Karenina,” set to open for a third run in Seoul on Feb. 20 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, is a Russian musical with the book and lyrics written by Yuliy Kim, and music composed by Roman Ignatye. It premiered at the Moscow Operetta Theatre in 2016.
The plot, at least on the surface, is indeed about a forbidden love, between Anna, a high-society married woman, and Count Vronsky. As Anna throws away her aristocratic life and family for her lover, she eventually becomes isolated from society and spirals into despair.
“When we were discussing what to name the show, I hated the title ‘Anna Karenina,’ because I didn’t like Anna,” said Chevik. “My job as the director was to make audiences feel for Anna and understand her, but when I read Tolstoy's novel, I hated her.”
Chevik’s distaste for Anna is more than understandable. The character appears selfish as she prioritizes her romantic passion over family, and her actions, driven by jealousy and emotional volatility, are morally questionable.
So Chevik, in a bid to understand her, said she tried viewing Anna from many facets. “Ultimately, it was in the character’s sadness and immense suffering that I came to understand her. It was the fight to obtain her love and happiness, and it all began to make sense to me. In the end, I fell in love with her.”
For the morally complex lead, actors Ok Joo-hyun, Lee Ji-hye and Kim So-hyang are slated to alternate playing the part in Korea.
But before the show has even opened, “Anna Karenina” faces allegations of unfair distribution of performances among the three actors.
Ok, according to the cast schedule released late January, is set to star in 23 performances for the musical, out of the show's total 38 runs through March 29. Kim and Lee only play the character seven and eight times, respectively.
Fans have voiced their anger online. Kim also uploaded a post on her Instagram account with an implicitly accusatory message reading, “I have no words” on Jan. 28. Ok has been embroiled in a similar controversy before regarding monopolizing performances, in 2022. The actor has been part of the “Anna Karenina” team since its first run in Korea in 2018.
Chevik, during Thursday's roundtable, recognized the issue but emphasized that casting and the division of shows isn't the decision of a single person.
“I can clearly state that there was no scenario where an actor walked into a room and declared, ‘I want to do this many shows.’ That’s just the business we are in.”
Chevik went further to defend Ok. “As someone with no background knowledge on this issue, I see it as being overblown. It seems like what Anna went through, because everyone says, everyone attacks. It is easy to throw rocks, but before we do, it is worth thinking before throwing it.”
BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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